This is the first episode of The Art Biz with a guest who admits to not being interested in the art business. But don’t leave!
My conversation with Rebecca Welz centers around how she sees her art as part of the continuum, and how she encourages her students to think holistically about their careers. We invite you to do the same.
The Art Biz ep. 134: Focusing on the Art, Not the Art Business with Rebecca Welz Read
When I was a kid I used to hole up in my room to draw—dreaming of being an artist. One of the books I worked from was titled something like How to Draw Wildlife. The drawing I remember making most vividly was a charging lion.
But I was just copying from a book. Learning anatomy and how to depict movement convincingly by building lines and shapes on top of one another.
I can’t imagine the opportunity to sketch African wildlife in their habitat.
That’s what Alison Nicholls does.
Once a year, Alison leaves her home in New York and heads to South Africa to lead her Art Safaris for Africa Geographic. (They found her from her online posts back in 2010!)
I know from experience that it’s difficult enough to fill a workshop in your hometown or even a neighboring state. Alison’s Art Safaris are thousands of miles away and sell out months in advance.
In the latest episode of the Art Biz Podcast, I asked Alison how she attracts students so far ahead of time. You’ll also find out how she got to be a guest on this podcast, which is a great marketing lesson. Definitely stick with it to the end.
The Art Biz ep. 41: Art Safaris and Consistent Promotion with Alison Nicholls Read
In 1920, women–white women, that is–across the United States got the right to vote when the 19th amendment was ratified by ⅔ of the states. The fact that we are coming up on the 100th anniversary of this event did not escape the attention of Marilyn Artus. For years she had been wondering what art project she could possibly do that would be grand enough to match the significance of the occasion.
Then, in 2017, Marilyn attended one of my workshops. At the end of two days of masterminding with like-minded ambitious artists, Marilyn had the outline of her multi-state, multi-artist, multi-road-trip project: Her Flag.
Her Flag includes collaborations with artists and public performances in each of the 36 states that passed the amendment. Her first road trip was in June and included the first four states: Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, and Kansas. Her next trip begins on July 13.
Marilyn has scheduled 17 trips over a period of 14 months. At the end, Her Flag will be complete and measure 18-by-26 feet.
It’s an enormous project that involves an incredible amount of logistics and organizing. But Marilyn is up to the task. As she says, she’s psycho-passionate about this project and topic.
I’ve been dying to share this project for awhile and had the thrill of interviewing Marilyn before she left on her first trip. I hope it inspires you to think bigger about what is possible for your art.
The Art Biz ep. 30: Multi-State Multi-Year Multi-Artist Art Project with Marilyn Artus Read
Don’t stay in your comfortable world. Escape! As an artist, you should explore and experience everything the art world has to offer. Go out of your way to see more art. You never know when you’ll come upon a life-altering or art-altering experience.
Plan a Road Trip to See More Art Read
I have learned a number of travel tips throughout my years on the road, but I want to hear yours. More importantly, I want you to share yours with my readers.
How do you prepare for your travel? I’m interested in any travel tips, but especially your art- and business-related travel tips. How do you keep your career going while you’re on the road?
Get a transcript of episode 182 of The Art Biz (Rethinking Mailing Lists for Artists) followed by a 3-page worksheet to evaluate the overall health and usage of the 3 types of artist lists.
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